In order to have a good garden it is necessary to plant good seeds.
It is not alone essential that the seeds be capable of growing; they
must be capable of producing a crop of the desired quality, under the
conditions existing where the gardening is to be done. Some varieties
of vegetables are restricted in their adaptations, while others thrive
over a wide range of territory and under widely different conditions
of soil and climate. If the behavior of different varieties in a
given locality is not known, the safe plan to follow in selecting
varieties for planting is to choose mainly those that have proved
themselves adapted to a wide range of conditions and have thereby
become recognized as standard sorts. The newer varieties may be tested
in small quantities until their suitableness for a given place and
purpose has been determined. Particular care should be taken to select
varieties that are capable of yielding a product of high quality. Such
varieties are numerous, and some are better for one region than another.
It is always a safe plan to have a little more seed on hand than is
actually needed to plant the area desired. Sometimes the first planting
of a given crop is destroyed by frost or insects, making replanting
necessary. In such a case, delay in replanting could be avoided by
having the seeds on hand. The additional expense is slight compared
with the value of the crop. In the case of many seeds, an ounce costs
but little more than a packet; and in such cases, it is the part
of wisdom to purchase an ounce, even though a packet might contain
sufficient seed to barely plant the desired area. The more expensive
seeds may be purchased in smaller quantities, with less margin between
the actual amount required and the quantity purchased.--(U. Ill. B.
154.)